The Shishou and the Shihondai
by Queen Emily the Diligent
Summary: Kyoto Arc. During, Kenshin's recovery, Kaoru confronts Hiko. A look into the arrogant man's heart. Warning: some swearing, but mild.
1. Chapter 1

**Back to Rurouni Kenshin! I had been reading some Kyoto fan fics, and this popped into my head. It is reminiscent of **_**Hiko's Going Soft**_**. Enjoy!**

Things were quiet now since the fighting had stopped. The police had taken away the bat-man and the crazy cross-dresser, and everyone was sitting waiting for the men at Mount Hiei to return.

Hiko sipped his sake, smiling slightly at the girl. Kamiya Kaoru, the one whose heart belonged to his baka deshi. _Break her, Kenshin, and you'll hear it from me. She's already told me she believes in you. How you got a girl like her, I'll never know, but you better come home in one damn piece. _

Suddenly, his senses picked up a spark of life. He stood and looked to the road. "Well, what do we have here?"

Kaoru gasped at the sight of the two, no three figures! _Kenshin!_

"Go on, girl," Hiko urged, his face trying to hold in an expression of pride. Kaoru gazed at the huge man and smiled.

"I'm quite sure he'd be happy to see you too, Hiko-san." With that, she turned and raced toward the returning figures.

Hiko stared at her figure in shock. _Can she read me that easily?_ He swallowed and moved toward the homecoming. The girl, Misao, had already run to her "Aoshi-sama" and was currently hugging the life out of him. The boy, Yahiko, had joined Kaoru, with some young man (_Looks like a rooster, _Hiko thought), who Hiko didn't know. He obviously was another of his baka deshi's friends. He was holding Kenshin up, with Kenshin's arm slung over his shoulders.

Both the rooster-head and Shinomori looked like they had been through hell and back, but when Hiko turned his gaze finally to Kenshin, even his years of battle experience didn't prepare him for the sight.

Kenshin was a mess. Blood was everywhere; Hiko worriedly guessed most was his own. He gave mental points to Kaoru who had managed to stay on her feet and not faint. At the moment, she was begging Kenshin to open his eyes, but was getting no response.

"He can hear you, Jou-chan," the rooster was trying to tell her. "He just can't move." But, she continued to beg.

_She's going to go hysterical._ Hiko frowned. _And, the rooster is about to fall over himself._

Hiko gave a huff and stepped forward. "Kaoru-san, calm down. Rooster, I'll take baka deshi. Kaoru-san, boy, help the rooster."

They stared at him for a moment, and the rooster looked suspicious of him. "Jou-chan, who's this guy?"

Kaoru quickly snapped out of her daze and saw Hiko's sense. "He's Kenshin's shishou, Sanosuke."

"Kenshin's shishou? Humph, that's a new one." Just then, he almost collapsed, and Hiko swept up Kenshin's limp form, relieving Sanosuke of his weight, and Kaoru and Yahiko helped Sano to his feet.

Hiko's back was turned, or he would have frowned at the smile on Kaoru's face at the sight of him holding his "baka deshi" so gently.

oOo

They found refuge in the Shirobeko, since the Aoiya was no place to stay the night, as it was in shambles. Okina had called for a doctor the moment the men had returned. On seeing the Kenshin, the doctor frowned, but quickly hid the doubt in sight of Kaoru. But, Hiko had seen that look and felt his throat tighten, and he looked at Kenshin.

_Baka, were you trying to get yourself killed? _

It took hours for the doctor to finally get Kenshin to a stable state. During that time, Kaoru tried hard to keep from crying and held Kenshin's pale and seemingly lifeless hand. Hiko felt his heart clench as Kenshin made no response to the doctor's prodding and cleaning. It would have been better to see the rurouni react to some of the painful jabs, but he lay still, like he were dead. His stillness only made the situation worse. When, the doctor did all he could, he gave Kaoru an inspection of her own wounds, with few instructions of Kenshin's care and a promise to return, and left the room quietly to attend to the others.

"You should get some sleep, girl," Hiko said, after the doctor had left.

Kaoru's head snapped up at Hiko, refusal hard in her eyes. "He needs someone to watch him. And I'm going to do just that!" She turned back to Kenshin and squeezed his hand.

Hiko grunted in annoyance. "You'll do him no good, if you get sick from lack of sleep. You're wounded and need your rest. I'll watch over him tonight."

Kaoru wanted to refuse, but she knew Hiko was right. "Fine. But you'd better wake me up if something happens."

"Fine. Now go to sleep, you idiot girl." Hiko couldn't help but put the insult in. He was successful, for Kaoru gritted her teeth and murmured, "Stupid old man."

oOo

Two days later, Kaoru was sitting by Kenshin's side, watching his unconscious form. Suddenly, the shoji slipped open to reveal Omasu and Hiko.

"I thought you might want some tea, Kaoru-san," Omasu said with a small smile, a tray in her hands.

"Arigato," Kaoru said gratefully. "What are you doing here, Hiko-san?"

Hiko grunted. "I needed more sake and since I was here, I decided to check up on the baka."

Kaoru nodded, a slight smile coming to her face. _Keep telling yourself that, Hiko-san. _

"Do you need anything else, Kaoru-san?" Omasu asked.

"Iie, but thank you."

Omasu nodded and returned downstairs, closing the shoji behind her.

Hiko stood next to Kaoru's knelt form. "Well?"

"Megumi-san arrived yesterday and looked over him. She said he'll be fine as long as he stays still…and no fever appears," Kaoru said, with a slight stammer.

"And is there a fever?"

Kaoru trembled. "His temperature has been rising."

"I see."

The room was silent for a moment that Kaoru almost thought Hiko left, but was surprised when he sat down next to her.

"Stop worrying," he said gruffly. "It does nothing. Besides, I taught him the importance of the will to live. He won't give up now."

_He's worried too,_ Kaoru thought with a small smile. _He just won't admit it. _

"Is that doubt I hear in your voice, Hiko-san?" Kaoru asked, almost teasingly, her mood lightening for the first time in almost two days.

Hiko raised an eyebrow, eyeing Kaoru. _This girl is onto me. _"Of course I'm not. I taught him thoroughly and my teachings never fail."

Kaoru's face became solemn. "Then what failed to keep Kenshin from leaving and becoming a hitokiri?"

Hiko's ki flared, and he struggled to rein his anger and shock, and he did so just in time. "Nothing did. The baka didn't listen. I told him a million damn times! But the stupid idiot left…" The master swordsman trailed off, lost in memories. It had hurt when he had found Kenshin gone that next morning, no matter what he told himself. It had hurt when he had heard what his deshi had become.

Kaoru placed a hand on Hiko's, and the master stared at her, his face impassive. "What are you doing?"

"It seemed as if you needed comfort, Hiko-san."

Hiko's eyes narrowed. "I need no such thing." He stood to leave, but what Kaoru said next stopped him.

"Why do you keep lying to yourself, Hiko-san?!" Kaoru was desperate to get into the man's thick head. _Too much like Kenshin,_ she thought ruefully.

"What are you talking about, girl?"

"That you think of Kenshin as your own son!"

The room froze, as still as the man lying on the futon. For once, the master who always had something to say did not know what to say. Kaoru's claim was ridiculous…but it was true, no matter what Hiko told himself.

Hiko finally opened his mouth. "You assume too much, Kaoru-san."

_Of all the bull-headed…!_ Standing out of frustration, Kaoru retorted, "You are as stubborn as Kenshin is and know very well I'm right! In the little time I've known you, I see it as clear as day." Her voice returned to a soft, pleading voice. "Why don't you admit it?"

"That is none of your business." Hiko's voice was hard, warning her not to go further. But, Kaoru ignored it.

"It is Kenshin's! And since I know he will never ask it of you, I will! Hiko-san, don't you think that's what Kenshin needed when he left!? Not someone yelling in his face, but someone to care for him!"

Hiko gritted his teeth, a frown appearing on his face. _Is this why you love this girl, Kenshin? That she can see right through you and points out your foolishness? Because she's doing it to me right now, and it's annoying the HELL out of me!_

Hiko had become so quiet, that Kaoru didn't know what to do. He just stood there gazing at Kenshin. Suddenly, he said with quiet command, "Leave us."

Kaoru nodded, knowing something was going within the master swordsman, and she had no part in it. With that, she slipped out the shoji.

Hiko waited until she was gone, but he was so engrossed in his thoughts, that he didn't check to make sure she wasn't listening when he spoke to Kenshin's form. "I don't know if you can hear me, baka, but your woman has some damn backbone. She read me like a book." He gave a cruel laugh. "I do keep trying to fool myself about you. I call you baka, but I can be a baka myself. And look at me now, talking to you like you can hear me. I'm becoming too soft."

Kaoru couldn't help but listen to the man's musings, and she gave a small smile. She knew she really shouldn't be doing this, but it brought tears to her eyes to hear the great Hiko Seijuro admit something that he never would if Kenshin was awake.

Hiko frowned and finally noticed Kaoru's ki right outside the shoji. He snorted. "I know you're there, girl."

Kaoru slid open the shoji and gave a sheepish smile. "G-gomen, Hiko-san."

He said nothing and stood, preparing to leave. "I'll be back some time later this week." Kaoru nodded, as he walked past her, but he stopped when he reached the shoji. "For peeping on me, I require something from you."

Kaoru bit her lip. "Hai?"

Hiko smirked. "That you invite me to your wedding when you marry baka deshi, and I get to tell as many stories about him as I want."

Completely speechless, Kaoru's eyes widened, and her face turned beet-red.

Hiko just laughed and walked down the hall and heard Kaoru yell at his back, "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!"

**Oh, Hiko, Hiko, Hiko. I love that man! Next to Kenshin, he's my favorite male RK character. I enjoyed writing this one. And thanks for reading!**


	2. Epilogue

Kenshin was on cloud nine. He was soon to marry the second love of his life, and nothing would dampen his spirits. Not even his master, who found every minute to make fun of him with some story about his childhood. No, he would not let it get to him. But, he could not help but wonder why on earth did Kaoru invite Hiko.

When he had asked, Kaoru had just given him a small smile and shrugged. "Well, he is the closest person you have to family, and I thought we should include him."

Kaoru had been pulled away after that, and Kenshin could not ask further. But why would his shishou even come? Hiko never really gave any inclination that he cared about something like his deshi's wedding or anything for that matter. What had caused him to suddenly appear for this?

"Himura."

Kenshin looked up to see Aoshi and his master standing by the door. Aoshi, Misao, and the rest of Aoiya had joined Hiko and had come for his and Kaoru's wedding. Misao had been squealing over Kaoru, helping in every way possible. Aoshi had offered his help to Kenshin, along with Hiko.

"It's time."

Kenshin nodded. "Thank you, Aoshi."

Aoshi bowed and left. Kenshin looked at the mirror one more time and sighed.

"What's the sigh for?" Hiko bluntly asked. He raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're getting cold feet."

Kenshin smiled slightly. "This one should hope not, shishou, de gozaru." He paused. "I should have done this a long time ago."

Hiko smirked. "I'm glad you see you're foolishness, baka." His smirk lessened and turned into a smile. "She's a good woman. Take care of her."

"Hai." Kenshin smiled softly, then he remembered his question. He turned to Hiko. "Shishou, if this one may ask, but why are you even here?"

Hiko raised an eyebrow, and Kenshin got the idea that he had offended the tall man.

"This one meant no disrespect, de gozaru."

Hiko turned away, his cape swirling with him. "What I do is my own business, baka deshi. You have no need to worry about it." Then, he gave a chuckle. "I am simply getting my side of a deal. Ask your woman about it."

"Oro?"

oOo

It was only after the celebration and a night of pleasure did Kenshin ask Kaoru about "the deal." But, Kaoru would say nothing.

"I won't tell you," she said blushing. "It's too embarrassing."

Kenshin raised his eyebrows. "Embarrassing? How?" Kaoru buried her face in his chest and muttered something. Laughing, Kenshin said, "Koishii, I can't hear you."

Kaoru pulled away slightly. "When you were still healing from the fight with Shishio, he was able to use my feelings for you to make me promise to invite him to our wedding, and that he could tell as many stories about you as he wanted."

Kenshin snorted. "So that's why he seemed to enjoy my embarrassment more than usual."

Kaoru smiled and lifted a hand to cup her new husband's cheek. "He really does care for you, anata."

Kenshin said nothing but looked into his wife's face, seeing her sincerity. He couldn't resist and laid a kiss on her lips. "You're too good for me, Kaoru."

Kaoru laughed, putting her arms around his neck. "I thought it was the other way around."

Kenshin shook his head. "No." He gave her another kiss, and it turns out the couple wasn't finished enjoying their wedding night.


End file.
